How can ESPN rate Stockton ahead of Nash?

[Bill Dozer]

These are two great point guards but if I had to choose between them I would take Nash, hands down.

Neither are going to get Defensive POY awards but I remember Stockton getting his ankles broken all the time by the Tim Hardaways and Gary Paytons. Neither has a title.

Stockton had the higher shooting % but when you have a blocker like Karl Malone setting picks you are going to get the yardage.

I think ESPN might be trying to stir up some chatter with this. Here's the comparisons they gave...




Team: Utah Jazz (1984-2003)

Titles: 0

Honors: 10-time All-Star

The player: His durability, toughness, leadership, poise, efficiency, vision and longevity were phenomenal.

Stockton might be the most deceptive point guard ever.

All-time leader in assists and steals, with a .515 shooting percentage. Very efficient.

Sustained excellence overcomes the absence of rings. The Stockton-Malone pick-and-roll will be the measuring stick for years to come.



Teams: Phoenix Suns (1996-98, 2004-present), Dallas Mavericks (1998-2004)

Titles: 0

Honors: Four-time All-Star, two-time MVP (2005, 2006)

The player: His performance over the last two years in Phoenix has put him in this elite category. He's the only point guard other than Magic to win back-to-back MVPs.

Takes the "makes players around him better" tag to a whole new level. Has the ability to make entire teams adjust to his style of play.

[The Great One]

Because alot of voter are really old and think that old time players counted.

Just like how can anyone put Bill Russell over a 5 star high school recruit now playing the same position?

Stockton is not that old, but the same argument stil applies. Those guys remeber Stockton alot better than they do NASH. Truth of it is, most really don't watch Nash or even basketball for that matter.

Not to mention, many of them should not have a vote and really do notunderstand the game and are horrible at breaking it down and evaluating talent. People like Skip bayless, Woody Paige, Jason Fatlock and such are the morons that vote for these kind of things and even the Heisman.

They are morons. In fact,it is debatable that they should even be allowed to live. I'd love to break every single one of their noses and ribs.

[bigboydan]

there really isn't a comparison between the two.

Nash brings more to the table than Stockton ever did.

[onlooker]

Nash has did it on more then one team , with different players as well.

For Stockton, if he didnt have Karl Malone all those years and the pick and roll. He wouldnt be mentioned here.

Id take Nash any day over Stockton. No debate there.

[BadAzz]

Maybe I am old or something but Stockton has 5 all defensive second teams. He should not be all that bad defensively.

I greatly value the fact that Stockton only did it for one team. Nash has been great for about 5 seasons and he is injury prone. Stockton was great for 10 seasons and he played all 82 games in 16 of his 19 seasons.

Stockton has no title but, in all fairness, he had Jordan's bulls standing ahead. I'd take Stock over Nash any day.

[The Great One]

Maybe I am old or something but Stockton has 5 all defensive second teams. He should not be all that bad defensively.

I greatly value the fact that Stockton only did it for one team. Nash has been great for about 5 seasons and he is injury prone. Stockton was great for 10 seasons and he played all 82 games in 16 of his 19 seasons.

Stockton has no title but, in all fairness, he had Jordan's bulls standing ahead. I'd take Stock over Nash any day.

My above post and many other points have been made by posts and thinking like this.

Call it the "never happened" school of thinking.

Except,Stockton did actually happen, but this way of thinking has people comparing "never happened" people like Ruth to Bonds or even Ruth to a single A left fielder of current day.

[Dark Horse]

Nash is much more versatile than Stockton. Little hard to look back now, but I would think that Nash's learning curve is a lot steeper as well. The guy continues to raise his game and that of his team mates. Unbelievable.

[rm18]

I guess you are probably right, but nothing Nash has done outside of the last two years compares to Stockton who played forever, and is the all time leader in assists and steals, until people start saying Olajuwon was better than Jordan, I don't realy want to hear about how Nash is better than Stockton.

[Illusion]

If Nash keeps this up for another 10 years then talk to me. Stockton deserves to be rated above Nash.

[BuddyBear]

Stockton is better...

[Razz]

The better question is how is John Stockton not in the top 2.

[SquareShooter]

I go with Nash, because he unlike Stockton has lightning fast first step and is able to constantly blow by his defender.

Honestly I believe that Nash is one of only 3 white players that can play in the league based purely on their physical assets and not so beloved "intangiables" that most white players are regarded for.
These three are: Kirilenko, Ginobili, Nash.

Next in the row are Gasol and Biedrins, I know what you'll say but sorry - Dirk's game (especially of late) is all about mid range jumper and not about finesse and athleticism. Not to mention that he's probably worst defender in the leage. Just my thoughts anyway.

[rm18]

Dirk is about the mid range jumper because no one dares to guard him with a bigger guy, he has the quickest first step maybe ever of any 7 footer, possibly David Robinson, but Robinson couldn't really dribble as well. Have you ever watched Dirk just drive around Kevin Garnett and dunk the ball every time pretty much?